Cookie Cutters and Uniqueness

By Peter Lundell –

“You must Tweet. You must Facebook. You must blog. You must use this system,” went the list. Do all these things and, in my case, I would sell lots of books. Jump into the cookie-cutter solution of what worked for someone else and must now work for me. If I didn’t, I’d miss out—and I wouldn’t want that, would I?

Last time I checked, I was a full-fledged human being, not a clone.

If I’m a pastor, I must use these ten business principles and my church will grow. If I’m in business, I must use church principles and my business will be healthy. If I don’t like commuting to work, join this multi-level marketing, and I’ll make easy money.

Somebody, please show me the exit.

I’ve lived long enough to figure out that in any life endeavor, some people will make it big, most will not, and others will be in between. Results will be less than what some claim but more than what others claim. One size, or method, never fits all. And no market of any kind will equally reward every competitor.

But people never tire of telling others how one size (their own size) fits all. And there will always be a crowd that follows.

God, on the other hand, created us to be unique. I’m not saying we shouldn’t cooperate or listen to good advice. We should, instead, discern how it fits. Most people who make breakthroughs or impact others in any area of life know what to follow and what to ignore. And they do things according to the way God created them. They aren’t afraid of being unique. Unique is always different from others—otherwise it’s not unique.

How are you unique? And how has God created you to bless others in a unique way?

PRAYER: Father in heaven, open my eyes to wisdom of how I am uniquely created to serve You. Open my heart to courage for pursuing Your plan.

BIBLE VERSE: “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:6b–7 NIV).